Whisky 101: Whisky or Whiskey?

It's not the first time we've been asked here at The Whisky Club about the spelling our Club name, and we're sure it won't be the last. So here to uncover why there's no 'e' in our name. 

The good news is, if you've been stuck in an argument with a mate about whether it's whisky or whiskey, the correct is answer is: both! Seriously. Whisky and whiskey are both perfectly correct in the right context. Let's unravel why...

As a general rule of thumb, if it's made in Ireland or the United States of America then it's whiskey with an e. For all other countries, it's whisky (no e!). So if it's made in Scotland, England, Wales, France, Sweden, India, Taiwan, Japan, New Zealand or Australia? Then you can assume it's whisky without an e. 

Like any general rule, there are outliers but we'll get to that in a minute. First we'll get into the etymology and reasoning behind the differences in spelling so when someone asks you why, you have an answer for them. 

'The water of life'

Whisky and whiskey both derive from the gaelic language which serves as the basis for the true language of Scotland and Ireland.

Whisky is an anglicisation of the Scottish Gaelic uisge beatha and whiskey is the anglicisation of the Irish Gaelic uisce beatha – both mean 'water of life. Funnily enough, both countries claim to have invented the famous spirit circa 1400's. But that's an argument for another day and there are die-hard sticklers on both sides. 

 Whisky 

Scotch Whisky

Always spelled without the e, Scotch whisky isn't just about location. To be officially called Scotch whisky, the spirit must adhere to the two following rules:

1. Matured in oak for a minimum of three years.
2. Fully produced and matured in Scotland.
3. And to be classed as single malt Scotch whisky, the spirit must be made from 100% malted barley and bottled in Scotland.

Now with over 150 whisky distillleries, Scotland leads the world as the largest whisky producer. So much in fact, that Scotch whisky is then further classified by regions, depending where in the country it's made. The Whisky Club has worked with powerhouse distilleries all around the country, from Speyside icons Aberlour and Glenfiddich to Islay legend Lagavulin.

Read more about Scottish whisky regions.

Australian Whisky

Made in the same style as Scotch, our modern Australian whisky industry was kick-started in the 1990s by Bill and Lynn Lark who opened the first modern Australian whisky distillery with the eponymous Lark – and even changed legislation to do it. Today our local scene is holding its on the global stage, from New South Wales' Highwayman and Victoria's Starward in the east to WA's Limeburners in the west.

Tasmanian whiskies, though, are almost distinct as their own region. The whisky capital of Australia is still Hobart, Tasmania where Bill and Lynn Lark began, and it's where The Whisky Club HQ are based! 

Japanese Whisky

Like Australia, Japanese whisky is also made in the same style of Scotch. The Japanese whisky industry came about as an answer to the yearly consumption of whisky soared to almost three litres per person throughout the 1980s, when its popularity skyrocketed.

In order to meet the demand, the Japanese didn't just started importing more whisky – the number of domestic brands rose and we now have globally recognised whiskymakers like Yamazaki and Nikka. To leverage on Japan's legendary love for whisky, many saké breweries also changed their operations to whisky distilleries.  

Read more on the history of Japanese whisky here.

Whiskey 

Irish Whiskey

Irish whiskey is always spelled with an e. Fans will swear that Irish whiskey has a smoother mouthfeel and more delicate flavours than Scotch whiskies due to its triple distillation (Scotch is double-distilled), but there's a number of different styles under the broader Irish whiskey umbrella.

Types of Irish whiskey include:

1. SINGLE POT STILL IRISH WHISKEY: Irish single pot still whiskey is made exclusively in Ireland (although other distillers around the world are beginning to experiment with the style elsewhere). The name refers to the fact that it must be made at a single distillery, and only using pot stills – no continuous or column spirit to be found here.

2. SINGLE MALT IRISH WHISKEY: Irish whiskey’s governing laws are almost identical to those that rule over Scotch whisky.

3. SINGLE GRAIN WHISKEY: Made from one or a combination of rye, barley, corn and wheat, grain distilling is one of the cheapest ways to produce whiskey.

4. BLENDED IRISH WHISKEY: Blended Irish whiskey is by far the most popular type of whiskey from the island – think Jamesons and Bushmill.

Read more about Irish whiskeys here.

American Whiskey, including Bourbon

Why do Americans spell whiskey with an e? While distillation style in the USA doesn't follow Ireland, the commonly accepted theory is that the spelling changed from 'whisky' to 'whiskey' when Irish people emigrated en-masse to the United States in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Bourbon is a type of American whiskey that must be:

1. Made with a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn;
2. aged in new, charred oak barrels;
3. distilled to no more than 160 proof and enters the barrel for aging at no more than 125 proof;
4. bottled at 80 proof or more;
5. and made in the United States of American. (Most commonly, Bourbon comes from Kentucky).

Club-favourite whiskeymakers Westward do not make Bourbon, while – interestingly – popular Tennesse whiskeymakers Jack Daniel's are technically a Bourbon, although the brand do not market themselves as such.

Exceptions to the Rule

The rule of geography for whisky/whiskey does of course have exceptions. The most famous exception is Makers Mark – despite being located in the USA, this world-famous Kentucky Straight Bourbon distillery spells its product without an e.

More notable exceptions to rule include:

1. Balcones is another USA distillery who make whisky not whiskey.
2. Transportation is an Australian distillery who make single pot still whiskey.
3. Waterford is an Irish distillery who (until its permanent closure in late 2024) created whisky.

Now you know! The most important thing, of course, is that the whisk(e)y you have in your glass is enjoyable. If you need a hand with that, The Whisky Club has you covered.

Join the Club Free today to get your hands on the most incredible malts from around the world, including Club-exclusives by world-renowned distilleries.